Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Agamemnon kills his daughter (Clytemnestra’s daughter too) and Hamlet kills his girlfriend’s father (Polonius)
2. He feels that deception and secrets are bad for his country.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Hamlet calls his uncle a “damned smiling villain” (Act 1. Scene 5. Line 106) when the Ghost tells him the truth about his father’s death; in his speech, John F. Kennedy refers to the secret societies that pose a threat to the United States.
3. He has done something that others disapprove of.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
All three men faced criticism: Agamemnon for killing his daughter; Hamlet for killing Polonius and having Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed; John F. Kennedy for Cuba-related decisions as President.
4. He is a man of higher status.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Agamemnon is a king, Hamlet a prince, and John F. Kennedy a president.
5. He is in the position of leader of his country.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Agamemnon is a king: John F. Kennedy is a president. Note that Claudius, not Hamlet, rules Denmark.
6. He is unaware of who is plotting his murder.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Agamemnon does not suspect Clytemnestra; Hamlet is surprised by Laertes’s poisoned sword; John F. Kennedy is killed by someone unknown to him.
7. He believes there are times when secrets are necessary, or when one might need to guard the truth.
Agamemnon and Hamlet
Agamemnon and John F. Kennedy
Hamlet and John F. Kennedy
All three men
Hamlet tells only Horatio the full truth, choosing not to confide completely in his